Ad Jesum per Mariam

The Eye of God: Seeing the Overlooked with St. Vincent de Paul by Ad Jesum per Mariam

Mary Magdalene and the Call to Bring Our Bondages to Christ Today’s readings highlight a tension: Scripture warns against the love of money, . . . . . . yet the Gospel shows wealthy women using their resources to support Jesus’ mission. Paul, writing to Timothy, reminds church leaders not to misuse their position for personal gain but instead to focus on faith, charity, and holiness . . . treasure...

Grace for the Journey: Learning to Dance with Christ Today’s Homily uses a proverb about dancing to illustrate the importance of flexibility in the Christian life. Just as a skilled dancer can adapt to any song, believers are called to let the words of Christ shape their lives without excuses or resistance. Jesus’ words are spirit and life, yet often we struggle to trust God, especially in moments...

You Are the Temple of God: Becoming Dwelling Places of His Presence In the first reading scripture recalls the rebuilding of the temple after Israel’s exile, . . . . . . highlighting that true dedication is not about stones and gold, but about the people offering themselves to God. Jesus deepens this teaching, declaring himself the true temple and reminding us that our hearts are where God longs t...

The First Step to Sainthood: Receiving God’s Love Today’s Homily reflects on the feast of St. Andrew Kim and the 103 Korean martyrs, . . . . . . who gave their lives out of love for God. Their sacrifice did not begin with faith or even love for God, but with first receiving God’s love. Using a demonstration with an empty cup, the Homily illustrates that we cannot give what we do not have: only by...

The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary: Following Mary in Discovering Our Mission Today’s Homily for the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary . . . . . . begins with engaging young parishioners in a dialogue about their names and the significance behind them. The Homily explains that names are not just identifiers but carry meaning and vocation. Mary, though given the earthly name “Mary” by her pa...

When the Word Takes Root: Lessons from St. John Chrysostom Today’s Homily occurs on the Feast of St. John Chrysostom . . . . . . and connects the Gospel parable of the Sower with the saint’s life and mission. The parable illustrates that the Word of God is abundantly sown, yet its fruitfulness depends on the disposition of the hearer . . . whether hardened, shallow, distracted, or open and rich so...

The Cross: God’s Love Lifted High The Homily reflects on the central place of the cross in Christian life, . . . . . . often present yet overlooked or misunderstood. From the liturgy to the crucifixes in our homes, the cross continually marks our faith. On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, we are reminded not only of its burden but of its glory and victory. Drawing from Scripture, the Homi...

The Path to True Happiness: Keys to Lasting Joy in Christ Today’s Gospel and Homily emphasizes humanity’s universal desire for happiness, . . . . . . both for ourselves and others. True happiness, however, is not found in wealth, comfort, or praise, but in trusting God even amid poverty, hunger, persecution, or suffering. Jesus Tells Us About True Happiness Jesus points us to the Beatitudes as the...

Power, Pleasure, and Honor: The Temptations That Distract Us from Christ Today’s Homily begins with a personal story from the seminary when, out of inexperience, . . . . . . he failed to show proper respect to a bishop by kissing his ring. This memory connects to the Gospel message where Jesus criticizes the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes: they teach the truth but fail to live it out, burd...

Through the Narrow Gate: Salvation as a Lifelong Journey Today’s homily emphasizes that the Christian journey is not just about following Christ, . . . . . . but about becoming like Him. Salvation, according to Catholic teaching, is not a one-time event but an ongoing process requiring cooperation with God’s grace. Jesus’ call from today’s Gospel to “strive to enter through the narrow gate” remind...

The Queenship of Mary: Mary’s Role in Our Salvation and Peace Today’s Homily celebrates the octave of the Feast of the Assumption and . . . . . . the 50th anniversary of the Shrine, reflecting on Mary as Queen of Heaven, Earth, Peace, and All Hearts. Her queenship is not merely an honorific but a real authority rooted in her “yes” to God at the Annunciation, when she freely accepted to bear Christ...

Trusting God at Life’s Crossroads Life often brings us to turning points . . . . . . retirement, illness, or the close of a chapter . . . that leave us uncertain about what comes next. Scripture reminds us, through Moses’ final instructions to Israel and his encouragement to Joshua, that the journey must continue with trust in God, who always goes before us. Jesus echoes this in the Gospel when He...

From Jordan’s Waters to Eternal Life: Living Christ’s Command of Love The Homily weaves together the Gospel command of Christ . . . . . . to “love one another as I have loved you” with the biblical symbolism of the Jordan River, the sacrament of Baptism, the Eucharist, and the witness of St. Maximilian Kolbe. The crossing of the Jordan foreshadowed baptism, where Christ consecrated the waters to g...

Why the Disciples Failed . . . and How We Can Avoid It This Homily begins with the Shema . . . “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone” . . . . . . as a call to attentive listening, not just speaking or acting on our own plans. Scripture shows the consequences of listening or failing to listen: Adam disobeyed because he did not listen, while Abraham, Mary, and the saints prospered in...

Listen to Him: The Transfiguration and the Tent of the Heart Today’s Homily reflects on the mystery of the Transfiguration, celebrated twice each year, . . . . . . and draws connections between the vision in the Book of Daniel, the Gospel account, and the liturgy of the Mass. The Homily emphasizes that the Transfiguration reveals Jesus not just as a foretaste of the Resurrection, but as the One wh...

Fear Not, Little Flock: God Is Pleased to Give You a Kingdom Today’s Homily reflects on St. Louis Marie de Montfort’s unwavering conviction that God . . . . . . had called him to found a congregation to renew the Church, despite repeated failures during his lifetime. His steadfast faith led him to pray ardently, write a rule of life, and even compose a letter to members of a congregation that did...

From Desert Manna to Living Bread of Jesus: Trusting the Giver Today’s Homily reflects on Jesus’ words, “Whoever has ears ought to hear,” . . . . . . urging deep, attentive listening to God’s Word. Drawing on Israel’s experience in the desert, it warns against forgetting God’s past goodness when facing present challenges, and cautions against grumbling, mistrust, and spiritual immaturity. The Para...

The Spirit of Jubilee vs. the Sin of Herod Today’s Homily contrasts two central themes: . . . . . . the Gospel account of John the Baptist’s martyrdom and the Old Testament concept of the Jubilee year from Leviticus. In the Gospel, Herod is portrayed as a weak leader driven by public praise and manipulated by Herodias, his illegitimately married wife, and her daughter. Their desire for revenge lea...

Three Responses to God’s Claim on Your Life Today’s Homily concludes Jesus’ series of teachings on the Kingdom of Heaven with . . . . . . the parable of the net . . . a powerful image highlighting the inescapable and universal claim the Kingdom has on every person. Unlike other parables that speak of seeking the Kingdom, this one shows the Kingdom actively gathering everyone . . . righteous and wi...

Stumbling into Heaven: How Encounters with God Change Everything On the occasion of his 19th anniversary of ordination, . . . . . . the visiting Montfort priest reflects joyfully on the value of the priesthood and the profound meaning of encountering God. Drawing from the Gospel of Matthew, the Homily emphasizes two parables: a man who stumbles upon a hidden treasure and a merchant searching for f...

Asking in Jesus’ Name: What It Really Means to Pray This Homily centers on the meaning and importance of prayer, . . . . . . particularly as shown through the readings of the day. The Homily acknowledges the frustration many Christians feel when prayers seem unanswered and addresses why persistent, faithful prayer is essential. Drawing on the example of Abraham interceding for Sodom, the Homily em...

Waiting on the Mountain: Trusting God’s Time with Mary and Elijah Today’s Homily occurs on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel . . . . . . and explores the deep spiritual symbolism of the mountain . . . specifically Mount Carmel . . . and how it relates to faith, patience, prayer, and transformation. The mountain is more than geography; it’s a spiritual summit, a place of ascent where prophets l...

Come to Me: Discovering True Rest in Christ The Homily contrasts our productivity driven culture . . . . . . where only the “best” are chosen . . . with Jesus’ open invitation to the weary and overlooked. Two anecdotes illustrate the point: a seminary soccer game in which an unskilled player is always picked last, and a mother abandoned by her husband when their disabled daughter could no longer “...

Christ, Our First Neighbor: The Call to Go and Do Likewise The Homily initially reflects on a personal experience during a visa interview . . . . . . where the identity as a priest was questioned, drawing a parallel to the Gospel account in which a lawyer tests Jesus’ identity and authority. Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan, shifting the focus from the legalistic question “Who...